Biodiversity Information Systems (HB)

Hardware

Computer hardware consists of a mixed system of Sparc and AMD servers, NetApp files, Tape libraries, Sun thin clients, and a collection of Apple and Intel workstations. These are connected across the ANBG and CSIRO Black Mountain sites by a fibre optic network with twisted pair connections within the buildings. Within the Centre, CSIRO and Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (serving SEWPaC staff) networks run in parallel, serving the management needs of each party's contribution to the Centre.

The SEWPaC and CSIRO network infrastructures provide and manage connection to the Internet and to other organizations; SEWPaC, through Volante, its outsourced IT management provider, manages the desktop environment for ANBG staff; CSIRO Plant Industry that for CSIRO staff. High quality printers for herbarium labels and other documents are shared across the network. A number of digital scanners, video cameras, video monitors, CD-ROM servers and other devices are also available on the network. The network handles backup and archiving of file systems and institutional databases.

2008 Report

All of the equipment has been replaced in 2007-08, is now completely up-to-date.

Negotiating in mid-2008 with CSIRO to improve the quality and bandwith between the ANBG site and the CSIRO site, which will also enable easy access to the Herbarium applications from the Australian Tropical Herbarium in Cairns. This will also facilitate easier access to those working on the CERF Taxonomy Hub.